Inspired by The All Year Round Pound Thread

[Eddie Dingle]

I read @Taco Playz thread about overwintering fish in outdoor ponds a couple nights ago. I had enough fish and garden stuff laying around to do a budget patio style pond in my backyard. Since it is late in the year I just threw some amazon frog bit and salvinia in from one of my aquariums, I'll worry about making it beautiful next spring with some flowering plants. 

 

Now to my question, is there a difference in hardiness between regular white cloud minnows and gold white cloud minnows? I would like to stock my pond with gold white clouds, but if they are less hardy than the regular variety I'll pass on them. I appreciate any advice or opinions.

 

 

[Colu]

If your over winteing fish in areas were the pond will freeze over you will a pond with a depth of 3ft  

[Eddie Dingle]

I plan on heating the pond. The pond is roughly 30 inches deep and 45ish gallons. 

[Taco Playz]

Following.

[Eddie Dingle]

On 7/24/2021 at 9:32 PM, Taco Playz said:

Following.

I'll keep you updated. I live in Central Ohio, during the winter it can range from 50f to -15f. We get some crazy swings I'm temperature here, but I'm confident I can keep this above ground pond from freezing solid with a 150 watt heater. I might have to occasionally bust up some surface ice, but I don't think it'll get cold enough for a long enough period to freeze solid. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Often if you use an Airstone it will make a hole in the ice to allow for gas exchange. 

[Eddie Dingle]

On 7/24/2021 at 11:57 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

Often if you use an Airstone it will make a hole in the ice to allow for gas exchange. 

Thanks, I mounted a small water pump to the side of the planter about 2 inches above the waterline, I cut about 8 inches of tube and attached it to the pump and then enveloped the tube with a generous portion of sponge to create a makeshift biological filter, it's bubbling just at the surface to create some air exchange, hopefully it works as well as an airstone. 🙂

 

 

I'll post pictures of the pump setup in the morning. Maybe an additional airstone in the winter will help avoid ice and would be economical compared to using more wattage from a heater. Thank you for the suggestion. 

Edited July 25, 2021 by Eddie Dingle
Grammar error and an additional thought.

[Eddie Dingle]

Update: I had to use my pond as a temporary home for my sparkling gourami after the aquarium they were in had a crack appear in the front panel. They seem to be doing well and I threw in 3 male endlers as well. The plants seem to love the real sunlight and have grown like crazy. 

[Taco Playz]

Looks good!

[PineSong]

Those plants really have taken off! I don't know about differences in hardiness for gold v. traditional white clouds. I have some gold white clouds in QT right now and can imagine they'd look great in a pond.